On September 11, terrorists flew hijacked airplanes into both towers of the World Trade Center and into the Pentagon. A fourth hijacked plane crashed in Pennsylvania.

October 7: The War in Afghanistan begins with the U.S. military operation "Operation Enduring Freedom", which was launched by the United States with the United Kingdom in response to the September 11 attacks.

2003

March 20: the Iraq War (or the Second Persian Gulf War) begins with the invasion of Iraq by a multinational coalition of forces, led by the United States and the United Kingdom. Although Bush declared an end to major combat operations in May 2003, the conflict and casualities continued after he completed his second term in office.

2005

August 28: Hurricane Katrina hit the southern coast of the United States, causing thousands of deaths and billions of dollars in damage.

2007-2009

The economy enters a state of crisis as the US housing market bubble bursts, foreclosures rise, and prominent financial institutions must seek federal assistance.

From the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, in addition to information on the Presidents themselves, they have first lady and cabinet member biographies, listings of presidential staff and advisers, and timelines detailing significant events in the lives of each administration.